No-Bake Energy Bites
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Looking for a quick and healthy snack? These energy bites come together quickly, require no baking, and are easy to keep on hand for busy days.
Every once in a while, I go on a health kick and—rather dramatically—purge our kitchen of all processed junk food. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm for healthy eating isn’t shared by my kids, who come home from school starving, open the pantry, and yell, “Mom! There’s nothing to eat!” Enter these energy bites. They’re a perfect on-the-go breakfast, lunchbox stuffer, or afternoon pick-me-up with a cup of coffee.
Made with oats, nuts, and peanut butter, they’re the kind of wholesome snack you can feel good about eating. Even though they’re no-bake, I like to toast the oats and nuts in a skillet before mixing them with the other ingredients—a quick step that adds a golden, toasty flavor and really brings out the nuttiness. Finely chopped dates add natural sweetness and fiber, and their stickiness helps bind everything together.
For more wholesome options made with oats and nuts, be sure to check out my overnight oats, homemade granola, and granola bars—all packed with hearty, nutritious ingredients.
“Wow, these are delicious! Not to mention a great way for me to get a healthy protein energy boost during the day.”
What You’ll Need To Make Energy Bites
- Oats, nuts (pecans, walnuts, and/or almonds), and ground flaxseed or wheat germ: Create a hearty, nutrient-rich base with texture and crunch.
- Cinnamon: Adds warmth and flavor.
- Peanut butter, honey, and vanilla: Bind everything together while adding richness and sweetness.
- Dried dates: Provide natural sweetness and chewiness.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut: Adds texture and makes a pretty coating for the bites.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Toast the oats and nuts. To begin, place the oats and nuts in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the oats turn slightly golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and stir in the flaxseed, cinnamon, and salt.
Step 2: Warm the binder. Place the pan back on the stove over low heat. Add the peanut butter, dates, honey, vanilla, and water. Stir until evenly combined (you’re not really cooking the mixture—warming it just makes it easier to combine).
Step 3: Mix the base and chill. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the mixture into the bowl with the oats and nuts. Stir until evenly combined, then refrigerate the mixture for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
Step 4: Roll and enjoy. Place the coconut in a shallow bowl. Roll the mixture into tablespoon-size balls, then roll in the coconut to coat. Refrigerate until set and cold, a few hours (or about 45 minutes in the freezer). The bites will keep in the fridge for up to a week or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
More Wholesome Oat Recipes You’ll Love
No-Bake Energy Bites
Easy, no-bake energy bites that store well in the fridge or freezer for quick grab-and-go snacks.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats (or old-fashioned oats, pulsed briefly in a food processor or blender to break them up)
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts or almonds
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed or wheat germ (okay to substitute more oats or nuts)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Scant ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup finely chopped pitted dried dates, from 6 to 8 large dates
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup water
- ¾ cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut, for rolling
Instructions
- Place the oats and nuts in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the oats turn slightly golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and stir in the flaxseed, cinnamon, and salt.
- Place the pan back on the stove over low heat. Add the peanut butter, dates, honey, vanilla, and water. Stir until evenly combined (you're not "cooking" the mixture; warming it just makes it easier to combine). Using a rubber spatula, scrape the mixture into the bowl with the oats/nuts. Stir until evenly combined. Refrigerate the mixture for 5 to 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
- Place the coconut in a shallow bowl. Roll the oat mixture into tablespoon-size balls, then roll in the coconut to coat. Place the balls in the refrigerator, uncovered, to set until cold, a few hours (or about 45 minutes in the freezer). The bites will keep in a covered container for up to a week in the refrigerator.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The energy bites can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove them from the container and let them come to room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 bite
- Calories: 87
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Sugar: 4 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 31 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Wow these are delicious and definitely a keeper! Not to mention a great way for me to get a healthy protein energy boost during the day. Thanks Jenn.
I’ve made these a few times for my family and as a postpartum gift for friends with great feedback! Ground up graham cracker works really well as a coating for anyone who is not a fan of coconut and looking for an alternate 🙂
Made these exactly as recipe called for and they looked just like Jens. They were delicious! A great quick grab and go snack.. I haven’t been disappointed with any Once Upon a Chef recipes. Thank you so much
Great labor snacks!
I made for the first time as a labor snack and they did not disappoint. I did freeze some so I’d not eat the whole thing before the birth and they still worked great!
Glad you like them and hope you’re enjoying the new addition to your family! đź’—
Hi Jenn,
I looove your recipes. I am hoping this question hasn’t been asked so that you are not repeating yourself!! Is it possible to make this in a food processor? Just maybe altering the fluids a bit so that I’m able to shape the balls?
So glad you like the recipes! I wouldn’t recommend using a food processor here — sorry!
Love all of the recipes on this site! First discovered Once Upon A Chef when making the rice crispy treats with Golden Grahams, which is the best! For these energy bites, would it be ok to directly add the coconut to the mixture rather than rolling the balls in coconut? Thank you for sharing all your great recipes!
So glad you like the recipes! I wouldn’t recommend adding the coconut to the mixture as I think it will make the bites dry. Also, the outside of the bites will be pretty sticky without the coconut coating. Sorry!
I added the coconut to the mixture and it worked fine. Outsides were not sticky.
Have you (or anyone) made these as bars? Wondering if I could press “dough” into a pyrex, sprinkle coconut on top, refrigerate and then cut into bars? Would save the step of rolling the balls… Thanks!!
Hi Melissa, I’ll let other readers weigh in too but although I’ve never made these as bars, I think you you could. I’d press them into an 8 x 8-inch pan and cut them into bars (although I can’t guarantee that they’ll hold together as well as the balls). I’d suggest lining the pan with parchment. I’d love to hear how they work out!
absolutely love it!!! soooo delish!! I add a drops of warm water as I was rolling ..just to find right sticky…..Thank You!!!!
Can you omit the dates… allergic
Hi Bob, I wouldn’t omit them, but you could use any dried fruit (like prunes, apricots, or raisins) in place of the dates. Hope you enjoy!
Another good recipe! Easy to make and eat, delicious, and you can freeze it! My 20-month-old nephew also gave it his seal of approval. Thanks, Jenn!
Hi!
I am looking forward to trying this recipe but wanted to know if i could omit ground flaxeed and substitite additional oats and can i put all ingredients in food processor instead of mixing on stove top?
Thank you
Yvonne Thomas
Sure, Yvonne, it’s fine to use additional oats in place of the flaxseed but I wouldn’t recommend a food processor here. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
I love these Energy balls for a quick and healthy snack, it is an easy and forgiving recipe. My Energy balls don’t turn into the perfectly round and uniform coconut balls like Jenn’s but I am working on it and the misshapen sausage shapes I produce still taste wonderful. Don’t skip on browning the oats and nuts, I think this step really enhances the flavour. Another winner, thanks Jenn.